Speak Up, Would You?
by ChristOnADinosaur
Summary: It's just a night camping in the woods, right? Nothing can go wrong. Until Nico finds that he can't hear Percy anymore. Sorry if it's ooc! Un-beta'd, tell me if you spot an error. (Shameless percico shipping ahead.)


"Hey, did I ever tell you about that time when I killed those dracnae in Central Park?"

Will smiled, but Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"Only a million times, Percy."

"I bet Nico hasn't heard it."

"Bet I have," he said dryly, raising an eyebrow.

"Bet you haven't," he countered. "So I was walking on the bike path with Grover-"

Nico tuned him out, having heard this story already, despite Percy's insistence that he hadn't. He resumed poking the small fire with a damp stick they'd found, idly wishing the fire was larger. He was never satisfied with any amount of heat, always retaining a slight chill no matter where he was.

Pulling his jacket around him, he noticed Percy had stopped talking. Finally. Nico glanced over at him, then looked back at the fire.

'Wait, what?'

He looked again, closer. Percy's mouth was still moving, though he wasn't making a sound. He looked over at Annabeth and Will, hoping that Percy was just playing a joke, because this was seriously weird. They still looked bored, Annabeth still wearing the face she got whenever Percy told one of his old stories, most of which she'd been there for, and Will was staring out into the woods behind them.

This was creepy. Maybe there was something wrong with his hearing?

But no, he could hear the quiet popping of the fire, and the trees above them.

Why couldn't he hear Percy?

"Nico!"

It was Annabeth's voice, not Percy's. "Are you going to answer or not?"

"Answer?" He looked over towards Percy, whose face flashed with concern but regained its expectant look quickly.

While Nico watched, Percy's mouth moved, but no sound came out. Annabeth and Will were still looking expectantly over, seeing nothing wrong.

"I can't hear him."

Well cracked a smile. "What? Come on Nico, nice try, but he's practically shouting."

Looking over at Percy, his brow creased. "Come on, you too? What are you trying to pull?"

"What did he say?" Nico asked, getting to his feet. "I'm telling you, I can't hear him!"

Turning towards Percy, who was also standing, and frowned as he watched Percy's jaw clench. He looked angry now, and his face was red like he was out of breath.

"Okay, calm down guys," Annabeth said, "There has to be a reason for this."

"There'd better be!" Nico cried. He looked helplessly at Will, who shrugged just as helplessly.

Turning back towards Percy, he watched as he shouted, his arms waving wildly. His arm flew towards Nico's face, and Nico flinched backwards, but the hit never came. Looking up, he saw Percy had stopped, and was staring at him.

"What?"

Percy was reaching out towards him, palm flat. His hand was an inch from Nico's chest when it- froze. Percy frowned darkly, appearing to push his hand towards Nico, but nothing happened. He pulled it back, then made a fist. Before anyone could react, he punched Nico.

Or tried.

His fist was hovering in front of Nico's face, but still not connecting, despite Percy's attempts.

He lowered his arm, making eye contact with Nico. Not believing this, Nico reached out towards Percy, but found that he couldn't touch him either. "What?"

Maintaining eye contact, Percy appeared to say something, and as stupid as it was, Nico wished he'd heard. Instead, he turned to Annabeth and Will, who both looked equally baffled. "What did he say? Can you hear him?"

"Yeah, he asked what's going on," Annabeth said quietly.

She walked towards Percy, stopping a few feet away. She reached out, as did Percy. Their hands met, and so did his and Will's.

Percy began to speak again, his face getting redder and redder.

"What's going on? What's happening? What did you do?" Nico shouted at them. "Fix it! Why can't you fix it? Do something! Anything, Gods!"

Annabeth and Will backed up as Percy's and Nico's voices overlapped. They were all confused, and scared, and angry- but they couldn't do anything.

"What's going on? Why aren't you doing anything?"

"What did you do? Why can't I hear him? Help, at least try!"

Nico was shouting, tears trickling down his face.

"Can't you fix this? There's got to be a way to fix this!"

Percy was screaming even louder, arms everywhere, face red.

"What are you doing? Get help, call someone, Iris message someone!"

"Tell me what's happening- I don't understand, what's happening?"

He couldn't breathe. Nico couldn't breathe, his throat was tightening from fear and anger and the tears were burning and he was crying and he shouldn't be this upset, he wasn't even supposed to like Percy that much, so why did he care?

He couldn't breathe.

He stopped shouting, though Percy didn't, and backed up into the rock behind them. He sank down, burying his face in his arms. "What's going on. Why can't I-"

"Percy-" Annabeth's voice cut through Nico's silence as she carefully edged towards Percy.

Glancing up, Nico met Percy's eyes and couldn't hold back a choking sob. Blue eyes softened for a moment, lips moved-

And Percy started shouting again.

Nico looked down.

He seemed more violent, moving towards Annabeth and shaking her by the shoulders. She backed up, holding up her hands as though trying to soothe him, though it didn't work. Percy stopped advancing, though, and his hands stilled. Annabeth turned around and motioned to Will, then turned back to Percy.

At the edge of the clearing, Will nodded and moved towards Nico, sitting down next to him and gingerly placing a hand on his shoulder. "Nico," he whispered. "Nico, come on. It'll be okay, it always is."

"Will it?" Nico said, a sharp edge finding a way into his torn voice. "Can you be sure?"

Will paused. "Well, no-"

"Then go away. I don't need to be reassured."

"I can't go away, Nico. Just look at Percy." Will sighed.

"Why can't you." Nico refused to look up, despite the urge to check on Percy.

"Just look."

Giving in, he glanced up, barely lifting his head. Percy was staring at him, and despite Annabeth beside him, hand on his arm, whispering kind words, Percy didn't acknowledge her. When he saw Nico's eyes, he offered a small smile, despite their tears.

Nico put his head back in his arms, unable to smile.

"He's worried. And afraid."

"So am I. And so are you and Annabeth."

"Nico, he wouldn't stop screaming until I agreed to come over here."

"So? It's not like he's actually worried. Doesn't matter to him that he can't hear me."

"You actually think that?" Will asked.

Nico looked up at Will. "Yes."

"Unbelievable."

Will paused, taking a breath. "Nico, he's still staring at you. He hasn't looked away yet."

Nico looked over again. Annabeth had stopped talking and was rubbing Percy's back, but Percy was still looking at him. He offered another smile, although it was weaker this time.

Nico's heart wrenched. He wanted nothing more than to smile back, but his face refused and, and judging by how Percy's face fell, he'd probably just scowled horrifically.

"See?" Will said softly next to him. "He's worried and angry and afraid. For you, not himself. You started to cry and he told us to forget him and help you. I told you that, didn't I?"

"Liar," Nico accused half-heartedly.

"Am not."

"Are too."

Seeing that he wasn't getting anywhere, Will pat Nico on the back and stood. Annabeth stood as well. "We all should get some sleep," Will said. "It's been a rough night."

"No kidding," Nico murmured.

As Will and Annabeth rolled out the sleeping bags, Percy scooted closer to Nico.

Glaring over at him, Nico mouthed, "What do you want?"

"I'm sorry," Percy mouthed back.

"For what?"

Percy looked down, his mouth moving. Nico tapped the ground where Percy could see his hand. Percy looked up, then down as Nico wrote in the sand. "I can't see your mouth when you look down, genius."

Percy squinted, then, with difficulty, wrote, "Im sorry I freeked out".

Nico smiled, glancing up at Percy. When he realized the younger boy was smiling, Percy grinned, unaware of why Nico was smiling but simply glad see that he was.

"You spelled freaked wrong," Annabeth commented.

Percy looked up, lips moving fast.

"Yes, that's why he was smiling. I mean, probably."

Percy put his head in his hands.

"Yes, you are stupid. Now get to bed, we'll fix this in the morning." Annabeth offered them both a hand and pulled them up, then led them towards the sleeping bags.

As they all prepared for sleep, Nico felt a sinking feeling in his chest. The problem was still unresolved, and he and Percy still couldn't hear each other. He hoped he wouldn't have any dreams tonight.


End file.
